A friend of mine is a recovering gambling addict who mentors young people with a similar problem. They are in ready supply, given television adverts that promote a potentially home-wrecking activity as a harmless bit of fun for those who can “bet responsibly”.
The gambling industry works hard to shake off social disapproval, but its words are not always conducive to that. The earliest term is “wager”. The noun is first recorded at the beginning of the fourteenth century, meaning a sum of money staked on the outcome of an uncertain event. It comes from an Old French verb, wagier, meaning to pledge.
28 July 2016, The Tablet
Be still, my fluttering heart
The language game
Get Instant Access
Continue Reading
Register for free to read this article in full
Subscribe for unlimited access
From just £30 quarterly
Complete access to all Tablet website content including all premium content.
The full weekly edition in print and digital including our 179 years archive.
PDF version to view on iPad, iPhone or computer.
Already a subscriber? Login